Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to a combined overflow and drain control for a bathing tub. The control is positionable in an overflow well surrounding the tub along a bottom surface of the well.
In many bathtubs an overflow opening is located through an upper portion of a vertical wall of the tub. The opening permits water to flow out to a sewer should the normal drain at the bottom of the tub be closed off or become clogged while water continues to flow into the tub in an unabated manner.
It is conventional to provide a decorative hood over such overflow openings to conceal them from view, while leaving a hole or gap to allow water to nevertheless reach the overflow opening. It is also known for a drain control knob or lever to be movably mounted relative to such hoods to link up to drain control devices by extending through the overflow opening. Further linkages connect such knobs or levers to drain valves at the bottom of the tubs. Thus, such assemblies provide overflow protection and also provide a means of controlling the tub drainage.
A variety of such assemblies exist. These range from assemblies which use electricity to control the valves (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,579xe2x80x94see also U.S. Pat. No. 5,363,519), to assemblies relying on rigid rods and levers (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,310), to assemblies that rely on sheathed cables (see e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,594,738 and 5,305,478).
In addition to conventional bathtubs that have a main basin with a top rim, in recent years there have been efforts to provide a more varied set of bathing experiences. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,380 there was disclosed a deep basin of water that allowed an adult bather""s entire torso and legs to be submerged underwater. Because this device needed to have such a high level of water the conventional overflow along the side of the tub was not used.
Rather, the basin was filled to the absolute top of it, and the tub was designed so that as a bather entered the excess water would spill into an overflow channel or well surrounding the tub. The overflow and drain control were placed along a side wall of the well.
However, this system was designed to recirculate water from the well to the main tub. Thus, an additional outlet was provided on the floor of the well (much as if it were a bathtub by itself).
While this system provided desirable additional bathing experiences, as an alternative it was desired to provide a somewhat similar basin with a surrounding spill well, but which did not provide for recirculation of spilled over water back to the main tub basin. The spilled over water would instead be simply drained to the sewer. Use of an overflow and drain control along the side wall of such a well could leave a stagnant standing pool of water in the well once water had reached the well, at least up to the level of the overflow hole.
Complicating the design of a drain control for such a tub is the fact that it is desirable to generally hide the drain control and overflow feature from view. Thus it is not desirable to mount the drain control along the top of the basin rim. Compare the placement of the control in U.S. Pat. No. 3,314,082.
Therefore, a need still existed for improved overflow and drain control structures for such tubs.
In one aspect the present invention provides an overflow and drain control assembly suitable for use with a bathing basin having a drain outlet and an overflow trough around the basin. The assembly has a drain channel with an essentially horizontal leg, an opening in an upper wall of the essentially horizontal leg, and a downwardly extending leg linked to the essentially horizontal leg.
There is also a drainpipe suitable for connection to the drain outlet of the basin and suitable to communicate with a disposal system. Also provided is a drain control assembly positioned at least partially in the drain channel to extend through the opening in the upper wall of the essentially horizontal leg, and also which extends outward from the drain channel.
A drain valve is mounted to the drainpipe. There is also a means for linking the drain control assembly to the drain valve such that movement of the drain control assembly causes movement of the drain valve.
In preferred forms the drain control assembly has a knob that is supported by a shaft, and the shaft in turn links to a conversion device for converting rotational motion of the knob into linear motion. An axis of rotation of the knob can be essentially vertical, and the means for linking can be a cable that moves in a sheath. If desired, the drain path can include an elbow portion linking the essentially horizontal leg to the downwardly extending leg.
In another aspect the invention provides a bathing tub. The tub can be a simple soaking tub, or can be provided with agitation systems such as hydrotherapy jets (e.g. spas or whirlpool tubs). In any event, there is a main basin including a basin floor having a drain opening in a bottom wall, and an overflow trough coupled to the main basin and essentially surrounding an upper portion of the basin, the trough having a bottom wall with an overflow opening there through.
The above assembly is then used with such tub structures. Because of the location of the assembly at the bottom wall of the trough, essentially all water that enters the overflow trough immediately drains from the overflow trough. Additionally, the device is substantially hidden from view (as being at the bottom of the narrow well). Further, the bent nature of the drain channel facilitates a compact assembly and minimizes leakage potential.